I had healthy ambitions to tackle a host of north western fells today, so much so I even went onto draft the stats & map for the blog which showed my commitment, however whilst sat behind my computer in work a day earlier when really I should have been working I was checking the fells forecast where I could maybe broaden my fell choice.

An ascent on Bowfell struck out from the start owing to its versatility & proximity to Dungeon Ghyll where my options for a Sunday walk were left open should I want to shorten or extend my route given the fact that my usual Sunday walks are normally minimized to keep ascent & mileage to a minimum.

The forecast was just too good not to throw caution to the wind, after all, prolonged sunshine especially during the middle of September is a rare but wonderful thing.

It’s been close to eight weeks since I last had any kind of lie in due to work & fell time commitments which showed the moment my 5 o’Clock alarm went off, normally I would drag myself out of bed & within minutes I would be up & buzzing around getting ready, this morning was different as those minutes were I would usually be getting ready, were spent lying & waiting for the snooze button.

My body felt heavy but I did manage to drag it out of bed & across the landing to the bathroom, the light of which stung at my barely awake eyes, my morning shower feeling like I needed the nerve to parachute myself out of an aeroplane, we’ve all been there right?

Outside it was still dark with the faintest of faint tinges of orange that breached the eastern sky from my landing window, by now I was walking more upright & almost ready to take on the stairs.

My drive north was spent switching through various radio stations & listening to Conference League after match reports, that was until the sun started to rise as I hit Lancaster where I could see that the fields around me were banked in morning mist so much so at times, the trees in the fields looked like they had no trunks at all, the theme continued thereafter & up to the point of reaching Great Langdale which saw me stop the car on more than one occasion to witness the sunrise & the brilliant light it created.

Today’s walk started by foot from Dungeon Ghyll, but by car from Skelwith Bridge where temptation to stop the car, often got the better of me.

Wainwright Guidebook Four

--Crinkle Crags:

After securing my parking spot at Old Dungeon Ghyll I opened the boot & proceeded to kit up. I’m not too sure how many times I’m going to get away with walking in my summer gear but judging from the clear skies above I am pretty certain I wont be needing the waterproofs, besides my shorts I doubled up my Base Layer if only to take off the morning chill which is starting to get the better of me.

With the car locked I leave the grounds of ODG & head right at the Post Box & through the field towards Stool End Farm, it was here I found myself walking with clinched fist if only to keep that morning chill at bay, my fingers & ears I could do nothing about no matter how tempting it was to reach for the hat & gloves on this brisk morning.

The sun which was just managing to hover about the treeline was now breaching the valleys & with it came a little warmth.

Time to stop billowing warm air into cupped hands.

Despite changing my plans on where I would be walking today I had now the decision to make on which route I would ascend Bowfell by as initially my plans were to tackle Crinkle Crags via Browney Gill then onto Bowfell with a descent via The Climbers Traverse & The Band seen here in the right of the photo.

No matter how inviting Oxendale looked this morning the thought of an ascent on Bowfell first won me over due to a number of key features which I will get to further into the report.

Dew as far as the eye could see cloaked the valleys leaving a cold air un-surprisingly enough at knee level. As I pass through Stool End Farm I spot the farmer making roll up cigarettes on a bench outside his front door, I give the farmer a nod & get one in return.

After passing through a metal gate which held a sign that said any dog caught worrying sheep would be shot which was underlined in red paint. I started to make my first ascent of the day towards where the path splits for The Band or the valley of Oxendale.

A time where I had to second guess my route once more, but was sure I made the right choice.

I hadn’t really noticed just how quiet the fells looked this morning until I stopped to gather some strength back while at the same time trying to spot more walkers making their own ascents from the valleys onto the fells. Every now & again I expected to see a faint figure maybe trailing me from Stool End or even an early morning walker just like myself top out on Pike O’ Stickle from which I had the clearest of views from but all to no avail, it seemed for now not only did I have The Band to myself but the whole of Great Langdale which felt strange given the conditions & maybe even a little lonely.

Kind of like one of those zombie movies where mankind has been destroyed & your the only human one left.

Taking photos was becoming more & more difficult despite adapting my camera lens with a filter the strong sunlight was still causing havoc with any picture taking which when I think about it, isn’t a complaint really, just a comment.

Here’s Pike O’ Blisco in the left of the photo with Brown Howe & Browney Gill in the foreground (my descent route sometime later) In the centre we have a distant Cold Pike with Great Knott towards the right of the picture.

Maybe I did make the right decision looking at just how chilly upper Oxendale looks this morning.

After a moderately steep climb via The Band a grassy plateau is reached from where you get the first real view of Bowfell & the col at Three Tarns seen in the left of the photo.

Ahead the path continues direct towards Three Tarns while The Climbers Traverse path can be seen faintly heading off towards the right of the fell side. The point at which to leave the path for the Climbers Traverse can be missed easily especially in bad weather marked only by a stone cairn to the right of the path, however all is not lost as the path is well worn & shouldn’t be too difficult to find & keep to & looks much steeper than it actually is.

Towards the end of The Climbers Traverse Bowfell Buttress comes into view as it towers above the head of Mickleden valley, here the path lends its way left keeping to the steep vertical slabs of rock that forms the base of Flat Crags.

The path at the bottom of Great Slab is located in the bottom left of the photo.

Once around the left bend in the traverse a short ascent over boulder is needed to reach the path that will lead its way besides The Great Slab.

But first…

The whole experience of gaining Great Slab starts at the bottom of Cambridge Crag by means of a steep & loose boulder-some scramble, in places it’s always best to pick & trust your footings first if only to avoid those one step up, two slide down situations.

After a short burst the path lends its way right keeping to the steep sided walls of Cambridge Crag, it’s at this point options are open to join the Great Slab up front & personal…

But only ever on a dry day like today.

After a steep hike the top of The Great Slab is soon reached where views of Bowfell summit is just a short plod away.

I still find it so hard to believe that I’m still the only person around on such a beautiful day.

After a short scramble to reach the distinctive conical shaped summit of Bowfell I de-shouldered pack to eat possibly the earliest lunch ever as it had only just reached 10am.

In all my summits of Bowfell this had to be the first on which I had not just the summit to myself but views in every direction too.

Every now & again a cool wind would blow chilling the sweat across my back as I gazed up towards the skies looking at the contrails left behind by the jets high above.

Not a sound, just pure bliss.

The summit of Crinkle Crags was soon reached after chatting to more walkers who having made their own summits were on route towards Bowfell. Before reaching the summit cairn itself I passed two women sat down with their backs to me, as I got closer one of the women turned around & said Hiya in the kind of voice with could only suggest she knew me ‘ I was just about to send a search party out for you’ me feeling a little confused just answered how anyone would by saying ‘Oh was you? then the woman who still had her back to me turned around & said ‘that’s not my husband’

I still shudder to think that were these two woman related or had they just met each other I still haven’t a clue but they certainly looked to be together, oh my god the first woman replied I’m so sorry (I’m still stood there looking like a complete idiot) and further more starting to feel a little flushed at what to say next.

The second woman rescued the situation by light heartedly stating at least I think your not my husband as you look a little younger than he does.

I hadn’t felt so awkward in a long time, well erm Ill err just err get on shall I?

After my encounter with the two women I doubled back across the summit until I reached a stone cairn which dropped to the alternative path which avoids The Bad Step on the second Crinkle (Long Top)

It was only a few hours earlier did I spot the wild ponies in the valley of Oxendale whilst on my ascent of The Band who are now grazing in the mid-afternoon sun without a care in the world.

After passing Julie & Paul I crossed Oxendale Beck via the footbridge built not too long ago after the last one was washed away during storms, the evidence of which still litter the river bed. An elderly looking woman is sat against a stone wall reading a book whilst her golden Labrador is basking in the sun, for one split momentary second I understood why she was there.

What more could you want, than to read your favourite book, with your faithful dog at your side with a view such as this.